FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an adjustable splint assembly. More particularly, this invention relates to the combination of an adjustable splint device and an external fixator device, useful for therapeutical treatment of impairments in body joints and the like from flexion and extension contractures, weakness in the supporting musculature, or some other malady inhibiting the integrity of the body joint in accomplishing flexion or extension.
People often develop flexion and extension contractures in body joints such as knee joints or elbow joints from many and various causes. Weakness, disuse, fractures, surgeries, traumatic injuries, illness and other causes have been known to cause loss of ability to extend or flex the knee joint or elbow joint. With respect to surgery in particular, a common, adverse post-operative effect of Ilizarov orthopedic surgery on a leg or an arm, is knee joint or elbow joint contracture or loss of range of motion. In the early 1950's, Prof. Ilizarov of the USSR developed an external fixator device for treating bone injuries using essentially a bloodless surgery technique. The device consists of two or more metal rings surrounding the limb to be treated, with wires surgically implanted through the skeletal part and connected to the metal rings. Tension is maintained between the rings in order to place forces on the bone and facilitate treatment. In the United States, this device has been approved for treatment of the following indications:
1. Fracture fixation. PA1 2. Pseudoarthroses of long bones. PA1 3. Limb lengthening. PA1 4. Correction of bony or soft tissue deformities or defects.
As mentioned above, a common effect of this treatment is joint contracture or loss of range of motion. However, no device presently exists to reduce flexion contractures of knee joints or elbow joints that often result from Ilizarov surgery, by adjustable, quantifiable pressure as does the adjustable splint assembly described herein.
Many splint devices and mechanisms have been designed to be influential at the knee, elbow, etc., either for support or for mobilizing the joints. Illustrations of such devices are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,055,359; 3,785,372; 3,799,159; 3,928,872; 4,397,308; 4,485,808; 4,508,111; 4,538,600; 4,657,000. However, all of these devices are not designed to reduce knee joint or elbow joint flexion or extension contractures resulting from or related to surgery using an Ilizarov External Fixator, nor can these devices be tolerated by the patient population for a long enough period to effectively reduce a contracture.